When and where to Integrate ACH Payments, 4 Examples

Credit cards are common, well known and widely used, but their ubiquity doesn’t make them the best payments option for every new application and platform being built. When you’re integrating payments, you have to make the smartest decision on how to move money therein.

That’s where ACH transfers come in, and integrating ACH payments is more functional than ever with Dwolla’s bank transfer API. Whether you’re moving money between users’ bank accounts or paying out thousands of service providers, consider an ACH solution.

But wait, that sounds pretty abstract, right? How do I do what?! Let’s make it more tangible—take a look at some proven examples of integrating with the Dwolla’s ACH API to improve payments.

1- Integrate ACH into mobile applications

Consumers are relying on mobile applications more than ever, and new services and apps are being developed to serve this rising trend. We’ve gotten to know a few companies building their own innovative applications, who are also leveraging the ACH network via Dwolla.

One example is Sweep, a mobile application that encourages better savings habits by using various spending ‘buckets’ to track goals, expenses and bills. With Dwolla, Sweep users have the ability to move funds between bank accounts and savings buckets within the app.

Another example is Lenny, which uses Dwolla’s ACH API to send GPA-based micro-loans to students bank accounts , all within the mobile application.

2 – Integrate ACH to deliver payouts to service providers

If you’ve built the best platform tailored to a unique demographic or target audience, be sure you’ve also integrated the best option for that audience to get paid. Consider college referees for example…

Hundreds of sporting events take place every week, but have you ever stopped to think about how those refs get paid? The folks at Blue Zebra Sports did. Their platform is a one-stop-shop for managing refs and officials, from scheduling to payments.

They chose Dwolla to deliver payouts to refs—here’s why:

“The reason we decided to use Dwolla is that it fit perfectly with making things easy for officials. To get paid, they enter their bank account information in Dwolla, and then they can get paid. It’s also easier for our conference clients; they connect a bank account and make payments directly from their checking account—no managing wire transfers or ACH deposits into a third party account before being able to pay officials.“

Jeff Wigal, Founder and CTO

3 – Integrate ACH to improve your marketplace

Similar to paying out service providers is paying out sellers in a marketplace. We have a wide variety of partners that use our ACH API to deliver payouts to their vendors. One of our favorite examples comes from boutique marketplace Jane.com.

By building bank transfers right into their platform with our API, Jane.com is able ty programmatically deliver payouts to thousands of boutique sellers. The boutique’s sales are paid right to their bank account.

Another example of using ACH for payouts is Wunder, a solar energy investing platform. Their investors and investees are paid out solely via Dwolla’s API. To invest in solar energy, just connect a bank account.

Finally, a simple, yet smart addition of ACH payments is as an additional payments option, right alongside credit cards. For businesses, there is a supreme benefit to encouraging adoption of ACH over paying with a credit card—you keep more money because you cut out those pesky percentage-based transaction fees.

WODTogether did just this. They’ve built a platform for better gym management and integrated Dwolla’s bank transfer technology (in two weeks) to save its users money in collecting recurring membership fees.

Whether you’re looking to move money in a mobile application or make payouts to the thousands using your platform, tapping into the ACH network is always a smart option to explore.

Case Studies

Learn more

Financial institutions play an important role in the Dwolla network.

Dwolla, Inc. is an agent of Veridian Credit Union and Compass Bank and all funds associated with your account in the Dwolla network are held in pooled accounts at Veridian Credit Union and Compass Bank. These funds are not eligible for individual insurance, including FDIC insurance and may not be eligible for share insurance by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund. Dwolla, Inc. is the operator of a software platform that communicates user instructions for funds transfers to Veridian Credit Union and Compass Bank.